Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-04-19
A MEXICAN DINNER.
oeuCaCiES THAT WE'RE NOT Ap-
PRsClATSO BY AMERICANS.


How IOrtilsss Are Made frDors'
or Csocoiate Col"r~d Beso.- Hot
Gravy-Pulgu-.
AT each guests plate a menu card WA
placed The cards were beautifully decor.
stei hy ID" Mexican artists. Some "f the
cards were DECORATED with miniature bird:
made Of CAV feathers Other cards wef,
artistirallN gotten up with straw work woven
about the corners and below IN all the card.
was printed in Spanish the following:
Caldo NeNicano
trroz S-'ru.
Mole de GHsj julntr
EuSala IrjoI-s.
Fr.taS Pullu".
Tauisl.~ Ihu,r.Iate.
A good many of the guests thought "Caldc
MexiCano meant cold Mexican and they
were wondering how he would he served,
when little tea cups fillei with greasy souT
were brought on. Mexican soup is more lik,
the dripping, from roast beef that anything
else. The proper way "a get rid OF the ~ouI
is t. drink IT, The MeNicanS did. Th,
American guests did not They Smelied 1t
and smiled
Plates containing boiled rice miNeNl with
boilei carrots and hard boil.d eggs chopIed
fine were next That miytur. was called
"Arruz seco" The rice was very red, having
been stained III the boiling by the carrots
Some liked IT. .rortillas" foliowed-a fiat
corn cake that looked like pale boarding
house buck heat cakes, the Kind boariers III
arrears usually get. The tortillas were mad,
Of crushed corn, which WAS ground into mea
up stsirs. The process Is 10 lay the corn on 3
stone and roll il with Il stone bar until il b.
comes meal The tnrtillas are baked on little
sheets Of tin over charcoal fires. The Mexi
cans roliei the cakes up into rolls, first spread
ing salt On them. Then they ate them much
the same an American wuuld nibble at 9
lady finger. "Puchero," which came next
WIS made Of fried cabbage, goat meat, frieG
carrots and fried bananas, and is known ss =
Mexican Irish stew"
VARIOUS OTHER DAiSTIES.
'Ensala" Was composed Of lettuce spread
thickly with sweet oil Mixed ia the lettuce
there were onions chopped line and Il gon.l
deal OF garlic. Accompanying the salad "n
the same dish was stewed veal stuffed with
almonds There was dish served which wa.
NOT on the menu card II was called "Chil.
tiero" Ii is 10 Mexicans what . soft shei
crab is TO all American. Green peppers were
followed out and the shell was filed with
chopped chicken with few raisins mixed IL
it The pepper was then dipped into batter
and fried in pan of hot lard This dish wa
very much in favor. Everybody nearly tool
TO the fri joes," chocolate colored beans
They were very tender and were dressed with
a sauce that was very palatable. The "fri
jole" has quite rs great . reputation in MeNi
co as the baked bean has in Boston. The most
unique dish served was the "taunIales,' /,
croluette made Of corn meal, rsisins, nut.
and fruits Ii is bt lied in a corn husk and
looks n good deal like boiled pigs foot at h
distance when removed from the corn huSk
Mole de Guajolotf.' The my.tery of tur
kew was friCass~ Of that bird with a vsga
table gravy The gravy WAS principaily no,
fat and red pepper. and everybody who ste
the gravy sske,l for ice TO soothe their burn.
ing tongues. The MeNicsns smiled and ate
the gravy with a relish, dipping their hreao
III it, The Mexican wine ''pulquer VS..
served to the guests in small wine glasses. IL
looks like milk and tastes like bakers yeast
II is to the Mexican what book beer is 10 tn.
German II is the juice Of the msguey plant
a species Of century plant. The maguey
plant takes seven wears 10 mature Al
maturity it is about seven feet high. lher
the central stalk is cut of at the las. and the
juice of the plant is smoked through gourci
and carried of by the natives in skins Ths
plant yields about two gallons every cay fui
two or three months after the stalk is cut OF
and then dies. the iuiee Is put into jafs il
dark cellars and allowed to ferment for forty
eight hours. Then the pulque is ready Il
drink. A Mexican can drink four quarts oi
it without becoming intoxicated
Very good chocolate in tiny cups followed
with real Spanish cigarette The Mexican
puffei III" smoke through their noses an,
their ears aud out Of their eyes aud smoke
half dozen cigarettes IN many inmates
and soon the table was covered with u grea,
cloud Of smoke and the dinner vas over, th,
Me eIicans rising from their chairs snd bowine
TO the guests and the visitors mechsnic all y
initiating the Mexicans Phiiaielphia Times